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of Santiago, who, when they were first informed of 

 his approach, could not believe it possible that he 

 should have the boldness to make a journey of three 

 hundred miles in order to attack them. But unde- 

 ceived by the refugees of Conception, whom fatal 

 experience had too well taught the enterprising cha- 

 racter of this mortal enemy of Spain, they thought 

 proper to make some preparations for defence. 

 With this view they first dispatched Juan Godinez 

 with twenty -five horsemen to the country of the 

 Promaucians, in order to learn if the information 

 they had received was true, to watch the motions^ 

 and discover the designs of the enemy, and to send 

 back immediate intelligence. He was, however, 

 able to execute but a part of his commission ; for, 

 being unexpectedly attacked by a detachment of the 

 Araucanians, he returned precipitately, with his men 

 diminished in number and filled with consternation, 

 to bring the news. The victors took upon this oc- 

 casion ten horses and some arms, which they made 

 use of in the succeeding actions. The Corregidor, 

 who was at that time sick, gave orders to his eldest 

 son, Pedro, to march with such troops as he could 

 raise against Lautaro, and proceeded to fortify the 

 city in the best manner possible, guarding all its ap- 

 proaches with strong works. Pedro in the mean time 

 attacked the Araucanians in their entrenchments, 

 who, instructed by their commander, after a short 

 resistance pretended to take flight, but no sooner 

 had their enemies entered the abandoned enclosure, 

 than they turned and fell upon them with such im- 

 petuosity that they entirely routed them, and the 



